Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

The OY Snow Blower is planned to operate February 29 and March 1, 2020.
This weekend will kickoff the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad's 50th anniversary. There are lots of activities planned in August.

OY YouTube videos are from 20 years ago.

1993 OY rotary snow blower operation. I'll bet it was a wild ride in the cab of the OY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2fXCDhHV3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQEG5JymFpQ


This video has footage of John Bush talking about some of the boiler components. Also, snow blowing activities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtiCOBfvc-I

20 images in the post. Will take me some time......
Pat

1. The business end.

(Download)

2. The small horizontal pipes direct steam into the area behind the rotary blades. This helps prevent snow from being packed.

(Download)

3. Rear of the boiler.

(Download)

4. Stepping inside the boiler area on the right side looking forward.

(Download)

5. On the left side is a better view of the site glass. Just to the left are the tri-cock valves. If you sight glass fails, one can use the tri-cocks to check for the water level by opening on at a time. The funnel just below catches the hot water.

(Download)

6. This lever is the reverse lever. This controls how much steam the cylinder valves send to the cylinders.

(Download)

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Image 7. The dome on top is the steam dome. All the steam accessories run from the steam dome. Also, the steam valve that sends steam to the cylinder valves is located inside.

Look in between the air tank and the steam dome. There is a lever (on a locomotive this called a throttle valve) that attaches at the top of the boiler and extends down and towards the side of the boiler. This controls the steam valve inside the steam dome. When this valve is opened, steam is sent from inside the boiler to the front of the boiler. Here the piping splits and goes to each side the boiler and to the cylinder valves/cylinders.

Looking forward on the side of the boiler, You can see the rusted pipe that is coming toward the camera and then it turns down into the floor. This floor is raised in this area. Below the floor is the cylinder valves, cylinders, linkage and the drive gears.

7.

(Download)

8. The unit in the center of the image is the generator. This runs all the light fixtures on the OY. The large vertical pipe/tube on the other side of the generator is the smokestack.

(Download)

9. The smaller pipe that attaches to the side of the boiler is were water is injected into the boiler. Looking ahead and thru the door is the cab area for the OY.

(Download)

10. This is the front wall of the OY cab. I do not know what all these controls do. Hopefully this coming summer I will find out and will post. The hand wheel is for turning the snow diverter to the left or right.

(Download)

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Image 11. This the back wall of the cab. The large geared wheel sticking out of the floor is the back end of the snow blower. The cylinders on each side of the boiler drive this geared wheel. It is a ring and pinion gear.

The guard over the large gear is to keep the crew out of it and controls and grease that may be thrown from the gear spinning. The gear does turns fast.

11.

(Download)

12. This view is of the other side of the boiler. Looking from the front towards the rear. The large vertical pipe is the smokestack. In the center is the pipe for steam to travel to the cylinder valves and the cylinder.

(Download)

13. The steam dome is the lare rusty part on top of the boiler. The unit to the left is the air pump.

(Download)

14. I assume this this square looking tank is for lubrication oils. I have not seen a lubricator for the parts that need oil in these images. In one of the videos above two hydro static lubricators are shown in the boiler room,rt side.

(Download)

15. I think the wheel and the chain control a flange under the OY.

(Download)

16. Another view of the oil tank.

(Download)

17. This an injector for injecting water into the boiler for refill.

(Download)

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

These three images are from the inspection doors on the left side of the OY.
The first one is the closest one to the front. The last one is the farthest from the front.
Pat

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18. This is the counterweight. Behind it is the pinion gear that drives the large gear that sticks out of the floor in the cab.

(Download)

19. Linkage

(Download)

20. Cross head linkage and part of the cylinder.

(Download)

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

After watching the videos, I wonder how loud it is inside the OY cab.
Also, I think I saw the OY shaking some as well.
I'll ask this summer.
Pat

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Great Stuff Pat!!! Thanks for sharing. I had to laugh, just a little, at them shoveling snow into OY's (and the locomotive) tenders. I hate to think just how much they had to shovel...although I'm sure the snow is a great, if not their only readily available, source of water. Do you think the tender's water is heated somehow?

I hate to even think about how loud OY must be in operation.

llamb Loc: Northeast Ohio

Wonderful tour, Pat. Where's the USB port? ;-)

~Lee

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Thank you Fred!

Thanks Lee! I never did find the port....
Pat

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Thank you Pat. I have never actually seen a rotary in action live and have never been inside one. Your photographs and descriptions are very interesting.

rockdog Loc: Berkeley, Ca.

Thanks for this interesting post Pat! Your photos and info are great and I loved the links. Yes, I am guessing high vibration-high noise!

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Pat, what does "OY" stand for?

sgt hop Loc: baltimore md,now in salisbury md

thanks.very interesting......

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I don't know.....
They have second snow blower and it is called "OM". OM has a nickname, Old Maude
Recently, saw an old image of the show blower OO.
Pat

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

But, do you know what "OY" and "OO" stand for?

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I don't know what they stand for.
Pat